Microplastics in Mediterranean coastal area: toxicity and impact for the environment and human health

Llorca, Marta; Álvarez-Muñoz, Diana; Ábalos, Manuela; Rodríguez-Mozaz, Sara; Santos, Lúcia H.M.L.M.; León, Victor; Campillo, Juan Antonio; Martínez-Gómez, C.; Abad, Esteban; Farré, Marinella

doi:10.1016/j.teac.2020.e00090

Cited by 121 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 125 publications

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“…Plastics can be found not only in the sea but also in polar regions [ 10 ]. Regarding Europe, the Mediterranean Sea is strongly affected [ 11 ]. On average, 135 (large) plastic items/km 2 can be counted in the Western Mediterranean beaches [ 8 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the Levels of Awareness among European Citizens about the Direct and Indirect Impacts of Plastics on Human Health

Barbir

Filho

Salvia

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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There is an urgent need to assess European citizens’ perspective regarding their plastic consumption and to evaluate their awareness of the direct and indirect effect of plastics on human health in order to influence current behavior trends. In this study, the evaluation has been cross-related with scientific facts, with the final aim of detecting the most recommendable paths in increasing human awareness, reducing plastic consumption, and consequently impacting human health. A statistical analysis of quantitative data, gathered from 1000 European citizens via an online survey in the period from May to June 2020, showed that a general awareness about the direct impact of plastic consumption and contamination (waste) on human health is high in Europe. However, only a few participants (from a higher educational group) were aware of the indirect negative effects that oil extraction and industrial production of plastic can have on human health. This finding calls for improved availability of this information to general public. Despite the participants’ positive attitude toward active plastic reduction (61%), plastic consumption on a daily basis is still very high (86%). The most common current actions toward plastic reduction are plastic bag usage, reusage, or replacement with sustainable alternatives (e.g., textile bags) and selecting products with less plastic packaging. The participants showed important criticism toward the information available to the general public about plastics and health. This awareness is important since significant relation has been found between the available information and the participants’ decisions on the actions they might undertake to reduce plastic consumption. The study clearly showed the willingness of the participants to take action, but they also requested to be strongly supported with joint efforts from government, policies, and marketing, defining it as the most successful way toward implementing these changes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the Levels of Awareness among European Citizens about the Direct and Indirect Impacts of Plastics on Human Health

Barbir

Filho

Salvia

et al. 2021

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Natural processes, such as ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation, atmospheric oxidation, pyrolysis, and seawater hydrolysis, fragment plastic into small pieces and convert them to microplastics (MP) (0.1–5000 µm), or even nanoplastics (NP) (<0.1 µm) [ 5 , 7 ]. MPs and NPs pollute and destroy the environment by releasing additives such as plasticizers [ 8 ]. The plastic wastes that get discharged into the environment, not only harmful to human health but also affect terrestrial and aquatic life, as well as the ecological system [ 9 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Modified 3D-QSAR Model Based on Ideal Point Method and Its Application in the Molecular Modification of Plasticizers with Flame Retardancy and Eco-Friendliness

Zhang

Zhao

2020

Polymers

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The addition of plasticizers makes plastics flammable, and thus, poses a potential risk to the environment. In previous researches, plasticizers with flame retardancy had been synthesized, but their eco-friendliness had not been tested or described. Thus, in this paper, eco-friendliness plasticizers with flame retardancy were designed based on phthalic acid esters (PAEs), which are known as common plasticizers and major plastic additives. For a comprehensive analysis, such as flammability, biotoxicity, and enrichment effects, 17 PAEs’ comprehensive evaluation values were calculated based on the ideal point method. Further, a multi-effect three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) model of PAEs’ flammability, biotoxicity and enrichment effects was constructed. Thus, 18 dimethyl phthalate (DMP) derivatives and 20 diallyl phthalate (DAP) derivatives were designed based on three-dimensional contour maps. Through evaluation of eco-friendliness and flammability, six eco-friendly PAE derivatives with flame retardancy were screened out. Based on contour maps analysis, it was confirmed that the introduction of large groups and hydrophobic groups was beneficial to the simultaneous improvement of PAEs’ comprehensive effects, and multiple effects. In addition, the group properties were correlated significantly with improved degrees of the comprehensive effects of corresponding PAE derivatives, confirming the feasibility of the comprehensive evaluation method and modified scheme.

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“…However, it is tempting to hypothesize that the peculiar location of our study, the Northwestern Adriatic Sea, might be partially responsible of the discrepancy between results, and for the fact that all, but one, of the 45 enrolled turtles provided fecal samples containing PD. The Adriatic basin is, in fact, one of the most polluted marine sites across the globe, due to its high productivity and anthropic impact, with an average concentration of > 400,000 plastic particles up to 5 mm per km 2 (MSFD Technical Subgroup on Marine Litter Group et al, 2013;Alessi and Di Carlo, 2018;Llorca et al, 2020). Renzi et al (2018) assessed the presence of PD in Mytilus galloprovincialis bred in a mussel farm off Cesenatico (Northwestern Adriatic Sea, Italy), in comparison with mussels bred in other Italian coastal areas and with natural populations of the Tyrrhenian Sea.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Plastic Debris on the Gut Microbiota of Caretta caretta From Northwestern Adriatic Sea

et al. 2021

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Plastic pollution is nowadays a relevant threat for the ecological balance in marine ecosystems. Small plastic debris (PD) can enter food webs through various marine organisms, with possible consequences on their physiology and health. The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), widespread across the whole Mediterranean Sea, is a “flagship species,” useful as indicator of the general pollution level of marine ecosystems. Ingested PD accumulate in the final section of turtles’ digestive tract before excretion. During their transit and accumulation, PD also interact with the residing microbial community, with possible feedback consequences on the host’s health. To explore the possible relationship between fecal microbial composition and PD ingestion, we collected fecal samples from 45 turtles rescued between 2017 and 2019 in the Northwestern Adriatic Sea (Italy), assessing occurrence and content of PD in the samples and in parallel the microbiome structure by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. According to our findings, almost all samples contained PD, mirroring the high level of plastic pollution in the area. We identified phylotypes associated to a high amount of PD, namely Cetobacterium somerae and other taxa, possibly responding to contamination by plastic-associated chemicals. Furthermore, putative marine pathogens were found associated to higher plastic contamination, supporting the hypothesis that PD can act as a carrier for environmental pathogenic bacteria into marine organisms. Besides confirming the role of the sea turtle as relevant flagship species for plastic pollution of the marine environment, our study paves the way to the exploration of the impact that PD ingestion can have on the microbial counterpart of large marine organisms, with potential feedback consequences on the animal and ecosystem health.

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Microplastics in Mediterranean coastal area: toxicity and impact for the environment and human health

Cited by 121 publications

References 125 publications

Assessing the Levels of Awareness among European Citizens about the Direct and Indirect Impacts of Plastics on Human Health

Assessing the Levels of Awareness among European Citizens about the Direct and Indirect Impacts of Plastics on Human Health

A Modified 3D-QSAR Model Based on Ideal Point Method and Its Application in the Molecular Modification of Plasticizers with Flame Retardancy and Eco-Friendliness

Impact of Plastic Debris on the Gut Microbiota of Caretta caretta From Northwestern Adriatic Sea

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